This invention relates to a method for the prevention of stress corrosion cracking, and more particularly, to a method for the prevention of stress corrosion cracking of machinery in a corrosive environment having very little water.
Generally, methods for the prevention of stress corrosion cracking have been developed for use with machinery in an environment of aqueous solutions containing corrosive anions. Methods heretofore proposed include, for example, (1) coating aluminum or magnesium on a surface of austenic steel, and (2) using a twophase alloy with a ferrite phase overlaid on austenite steel. However, these methods have been limited to use in corrosive environments having large amounts of water. On the other hand, research and investigation into stress corrosion cracking in corrosive environments having an extremely small amount of water and at high temperatures have scarcely been conducted since there has been only slight development of technology of this kind. One example of such a corrosive environment is found in petroleum refineries where heavy oil desulfurization units are used. Under the present conditions, there is no protective method for preventing minute cracks in the type of machinery mentioned.